Learn to Do by Doing

About Us

It is my pleasure to welcome you to the Peterborough County 4-H program. Our volunteer and leaders enthusiasm and expertise offers fun and knowledge to many young people. There have been many achievements in the county, Go for the Gold competition originated here, many 4-H clubs started here like Bachelor Survival, online Beef and numerous lifeskill clubs and most recently- the forestry club. Our 4-H members develop organizational skills, responsibility, decision making, sportsmanship and leadership skills. They have accomplished many achievemnts in the county as well as regionally and provincially. We invite you to take part in our 4-H program and "Learn to do by Doing".

Yours in 4-H Spirit,

Dean Warner
President, Peterborough County 4-H Association

The first club under the 'Boys and Girls Club' was the Asphodel and Dummer sheep club in 1919 - it had 8 members and the leader was F.C. McRae. This club operated for 2 more years before folding.

In 1923 the Peterborough Pig club started with 22 members. They had difficulties with piglets scouring and finding enough pigs for all the members.

In 1927 the 1st calf club formed as the Peterborough Ayrshire heifer club with 10 members using 2 year old heifers. In that same year, two sheep clubs formed in Warsaw and Indian River with 21 members in total.

In 1931 the Girls Home Garden and Canning Club became the 1st girls club in the county - it joined 5 other agricultural clubs giving Peterborough a total 4-H membership of 82.

Membership peaked in 1936 with 98 members but then dropped to 28 in 1939 due to the First World War.

In 1951, the Junior Farmers sponsored several new clubs and began to provide leadership for the clubs. That year the membership jumped from 34 members to 127.

In 1952 the name "4-H" was adopted for the clubs..

In 1953 agricultural representative F.C. Patterson wrote- "we have good club leaders and they have helped tremendously in developing 4-H clubs and improved interest in the clubs have helped increase members. Junior Farmers are sponsering all 4-H clubs and we have something worth while in a joint achievement day held in September at the Peterborough Exhibition fairgrounds."

At the 4-H interclub competitions held in Guelph in 1953, the Norwood 4-H Tractor Club of Bruce Hill and Joel Redden placed 1st in their competition.

In 1954 there were 243 members in 11 4-H agricultural clubs. This same year, 81 members of the Peterborough 4-H Forestry club planted 15,000 trees where Trent University now stands.

In October 1954, the Peterborough and Norwood junior Farmers hosted 11 supper clubs, 6 garden clubs and 11 agricultural clubs at the 1st united awards program. This year marked the 1st Outstanding 4-H member award in the county sponsored by the Bank of Commerce. This award is still the most coveted award in the county 4-H program.

A wide range of new projects were developed over the years until participation peaked in 1983 with 475 members completing 940 projects in 66 clubs with 89 4-H leaders. In 1992 Peterborough had 468 members with a wide range of projects placing the county in the top 10 counties in Ontario for membership numbers.

Peterborough County created 'Reach for the Top" now know as Go For the Gold in 1981 - the 1st provincial competition was hosted in Peterborough county in 1982 - we have had two teams to win provincially. In 1985 - Peter Doris, Karen Northey, Les Hutchinson and David Stockdale and in 1990 - Randy Bullock, Kirk Stockdale, David Stockdale and David Crowley.